I suppose this was inevitable as there are barely any purchased DRM receivers out there.
The CEO is obviously not a radio guy otherwise he would see the terrain issues FM/VHF has and what DRM/Shortwave can overcome, MW has it's own problems.
If there were loads of DRM receivers in the 'wild', so to speak, there would not be an issue, but a fantastic digital technology with no digital receivers....you can kind of see where the guy is coming from.
The other fact is most of India's rural population could not afford a DRM receiver at the current price (even I had to think twice about buying my DR111 when I had it!). I would hazard a guess that 70%+ of the population in India probably has, or has access to an FM/MW receiver in their village, how many have DRM receivers?
State funded/subsidised DRM receivers at knock down prices to flood the market in India prior to the roll out of DRM would have been the best move in my book and if DRM did not take off for whatever reason, they all still have Shortwave, FM & MW to fall back to on their DRM receivers.

Devil's advocate ends

What has happened to the DRM Receiver Tender?
Are there any other DRM receivers in production? if there are, will these now not end up being expensive FW/MW receivers nobody wants to buy except the DRM enthusiasts?

Hi
Instead of "the new technology" of putting an FM tower close to a MW tower
there must be an old one allowing to put an FM aerial on top of a MW tower.
The trick must be at the base to isolate both feed lines.
I would appreciate some information on how it is done.
Now if they manage to obtain with 50 FM stations the coverage of 1 DRM
transmitter I'm interested too.
May be earth is flat over there
I wonder how they intend to feed the modulation to those FM stations.
Because it seems to be their main problem
May be installing low power FM relays fed from the DRM transmissions could be a short term solution to the lack of low price receivers.

the tendered items are not for sale and they are for use by staff of the broadcaster for monitoring purposes.

if one could receive a normal transmission by say 1$ radio, (at least news etc would be reasonably heard) why would some one spend 150 $ inclusive of customs and other duties?

I am sure any manufacturer will make the receivers widely available, you would think anyway. I can't see the Indian government stopping the manufacturer from selling these on the open market.

As you say though, if you can receive a normal transmission for less money you will do it that way....the most cost effective way.

All India Radio puts an excellent signal into Europe on AM Shortwave and on DRM but if I am out and about in the wilderness, I would take my trusty Tecsun PL-310 before I would lug a DR111....as much as I love DRM.
Make a small, cost & power efficient DRM portable and you have a winner.

I am sure any manufacturer will make the receivers widely available, you would think anyway. I can't see the Indian government stopping the manufacturer from selling these on the free market.

As you say though, if you can receive a normal transmission for less money you will do it that way....the most cost effective way.

All India Radio puts an excellent signal into Europe on AM Shortwave and on DRM but if I am out and about in the wilderness, I would take my trusty Tecsun PL-310 before I would lug a DR111....as much as I love DRM.
Make a small, cost & power efficient DRM portable and you have a winner.

so far, i have been using my PC for decoding DRM. if no other work for PC, perhaps more power is wasted just to decode drm.
Thus, one needs a normal stand alone and low power consuming devices.
Yes DR111 was attractive but, as of now DR111 or its later versions are costly as seen from Indian perspective.
I saw one Indian manufacturer coming up for large scale Receiver manufacture. but it would take long time for volume demands anyway. let us see how things develop.

Hi
Me too.
And it is not a bad idea if you take into account recording and data possibilities.
It can also receive FH and DAB with a low cost dongle and internet radios.
And share them by WIFI.
Android tablets are cheap and could decode DRM if it is not already done.
FM has the advantage of being available in most mobile phones.and could
share the same towers.
But IMHO the main advantage of PC based solutions is that it is open to
developments in order to fill specific needs.

I have been using drm decoding for last three years. That is not the issue.
I was trying to debate the case of general user and not electronics hobbyists and HAMs. I do use elektor SDR published in may 2007 and a preselektor published later in Dec2009. I do use Dream decoder latest under windows OS.

Making an inexpensive 12 kHz IF output available on new receivers would be a good intermediate step in getting DRM more visibility.

May be an IF output before any filter could be cheaper and more future proof.
A problem with PC based solutions is interference and ground loops.
IF allows cheap isolation transformers and long cables.
It supports simple multiplexing with DC and AF thus minimising cable and
connector costs.